October 1968. Theaters across the country begin showing a dark, lengthy police drama starring the late king of cool, Steve McQueen, as San Francisco Police Lieutenant Frank Bullitt. The movie made history. Not as much with film buffs, though. No, “Bullitt” became a car enthusiast favorite for its un-scored, 10-minute car chase between a dark green 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback and an ominously black 1968 Dodge Charger R/T. It was such an excellent car chase, in fact, that Ford made homage cars to celebrate it.
The hero car in the chase was, of course, the verdant Ford Mustang. To celebrate the Hollywood favorite, Ford produced several homage cars. That said, being a die-hard “Bullitt” fan isn’t a prerequisite for finding merit in the tributes. Among the automotive nods, Ford built an S197 Mustang Bullitt, complete with subtle, debadged style, performance tweaks, and a soundtrack unlike anything else you’d find in the fifth-generation Mustang lineup. It’s the Bullitt-ized 2008 Ford Mustang, an understated sports coupe you might not want to sleep on.
The Under-The-Radar Movie Homage Sleeper Sports Car
Ford embraced the retro aesthetic when it rolled out the first S197 Mustang back in 2005. Little did Ford Mustang fans know that the angular, old-school platform would play perfect host to a debadged sleeper car and bona fide Blue Oval labor of love. For 2008, Ford offered the S197 Mustang Bullitt. Unlike the Ford Mustang GT of the day, the Mustang Bullitt didn’t wear the GT badges on its front quarter panels. The S197 Bullitt doesn’t even bother with a grille-mounted Mustang badge. Save for a Bullitt badge on the decklid and wee emblems on the Bullitt’s understated wheels, there’s not much to identify the Bullitt as either a Ford or a Mustang. But this is no typical Ford Mustang GT; it’s an old-school sports coupe with muscle car might and none of the gaudy flash.
A Classier, More Potent S197 Ford Mustang
In 2008, you could get a bright, look-at-me fifth-generation Mustang. We’re talking stripes, badges, convertible tops, chrome trim, the works. Not on the Ford Mustang Bullitt. Ford only offered the 2008 Mustang Bullitt in two colors and limited numbers: 4,377 in the regal Dark Highland Green hue and 1,431 in Black. No bright colors, no flashy badges. On the inside, the 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt doesn’t offer the stain-collecting cloth seats you’d find in some Mustang GTs. Instead, the Bullitt borrows its power leather seats from the supercharged Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 of the day. Even better, the Bullitt replaces the standard dash adornments with an engine-turned aluminum look. But don’t expect wood-grain, carbon fiber, or Alcántara.
10 Things Everyone Should Know About The 1968 Ford Mustang GT ‘Bullitt’
The Bullitt Mustang GT was the first movie star car, and it has a fascinating backstory.
More Power, A Higher Redline, And A Stick As Standard
It wouldn’t be a serious Ford Mustang without the sort of power that can send a stationary vehicle into a parked car at a show. And the 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt doesn’t disappoint. It shares the same 3V 4.6-liter single-cam V8 as the early-model Ford Mustang GT. However, tweaks like a factory cold-air intake and tuned exhaust system raise the Bullitt’s output to 315 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of twist. That’s an increase of 15 horsepower and 25 pound-feet over the standard GT. The bump in power and torque isn’t the only thing. A 3.73:1 final drive ratio from the GT500 (instead of the GT’s 3.55) and a raised redline (6,500 RPM from the GT’s 6,250) make for a thrustier, more aggressive drive than in the standard ‘Stang.
2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt Specs
|
Engine |
Naturally Aspirated 4.6-Liter SOHC V8 |
|
Transmission |
Five-Speed TREMEC TR-3650 Manual Transmission |
|
Horsepower, Torque |
315 HP At 6,000 RPM, 325 LB-FT At 4,250 RPM |
|
Curb Weight |
3,590 LBS |
|
0-60 MPH |
5.0 Seconds |
|
Quarter Mile |
13.6 Seconds At 104 MPH |
Better yet, you won’t find the optional five-speed automatic gearbox in a 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt. Instead, TREMEC’s TR-3650 is the only transmission option, a smooth-shifting five-speed manual box. What’s more, the TREMEC transmission is accessed through a handsome aluminum shift knob instead of the GT’s less imaginative shifter. Just don’t leave that brushed shifter out in the heat for too long. Don’t ask me how I know.
Ford Blew Big Money On The Pipes
Part of the magic of the namesake film’s iconic car chase is the soundtrack. Or rather, the lack thereof. The creators chose to omit a high-energy musical pairing for the chase, opting instead to let the Ford Mustang’s 390-cubic-inch V8 and the Dodge Charger R/T’s 440-cubic-inch Magnum V8 join persistent tire squeal as the scene’s only real report.
Then you have the movie tribute fifth-gen Mustang. Ford reportedly spent $10 million developing the S197 Mustang Bullitt’s soundtrack. Not just to find a pleasing tone, mind you. The Blue Oval was dead-set on recreating the sound of the original 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 Fastback as accurately as possible. At idle, the Bullitt burbles without drawing too much attention. Up the rev range, the sleeper coupe wakes up and bellows.
10 Underrated American Performance Cars You Can Buy Under $25,000
If you’re searching for an underrated American performance car that delivers excitement without a supercar price tag, this list is for you.
A Unique Value In The Used Driver’s Car Market
When the Blue Oval first sold the limited-run Bullitt package for the 2008 Ford Mustang, it had an MSRP of $31,075. At the time, that made the S197 Mustang Bullitt a more affordable purchase than a comparable Dodge Challenger SRT8’s $40,158 ask. Still, the special-edition Mustang’s price tag was a spendy proposition in a time of global financial crisis. Today, however, the powers of depreciation have forced the Bullitt’s average sales prices to much more reasonable levels.
2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt Pricing
Nowadays, a 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt is something of an accessible collector’s car. The average sales price for pre-owned 2008 Mustang Bullitts is around $22,832 for the market in 2025. However, shrewd shoppers can find more affordable examples if they know where to look. For example, a Dark Highland Green 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt with 68,093 miles on the clock sold in an online auction for $15,000 back in May 2025. More recently, a Canadian example with a mere 24,855 miles sold for $18,250 in a November auction. Of course, the lowest-mileage examples demand something of a premium, like a 577-mile Bullitt that sold for nearly $40,000 earlier this year.
“Bullitt” Remake With Steven Spielberg And Bradley Cooper Should Be An Automotive Blockbuster
The movie will be a new take on the classic car chase movie revolving around Frank Bullit, and Bradley Cooper just signed off on the role
Should You Buy One In 2026?
In short, it depends on what you want out of your next car. The debadged, stealthy S197 Mustang Bullitt is one of just three derivations of Ford’s history with “Bullitt” tributes. Don’t like the 2008 model? Well, Ford made the S197 Bullitt for the 2008 and 2009 model years. Additionally, Ford made an SN-95 model in 2001 and a more refined S550 model in 2019 and 2020.
Find 2020 Ford Mustang Bullitt and more cars for sale on our Marketplace
The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt isn’t luxurious. Its live rear axle and stiffer ride aren’t exactly up to Jaguar or Mercedes-Benz standards. However, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more understated, manual, used American sports coupe with a muscular V8 up front at the Bullitt’s price point.
Sources: Ford, Ford Racing, Classic.com